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Republic of Voltakra
One of the far-eastern nations on Kaaran, Voltakra is comparatively small when compared to its larger neighbours, Soitnam and Slaitan, but it has nevertheless played a vital part in Kaaranese history. While Morheka has since become a hub of scientific prowess, it is in Voltakra that we find the true birthplace of Kaaranese science, where the first proto-scientists practiced a system remarkably similar to Earth alchemy, in attempts to understand the universe around them. Voltakra has had a troubled history, constantly being invaded and splitting away, only for the cycle to repeat. Today, their sovereignty is protected only by the Kaaranese League Ratification Treay, its close economic and political ties to the Trinity Nations, and its renowned Voltakran Legion. History During the period of expansion and colonisation the Morhekan Empire underwent, many places were settled by people either fleeing the increasingly brutal regimes, searching for a new life, or searching for regions where enterprising entreprenours could make a fortune. Voltakra was a mixture of all three, and political refugees and opportunistic settlers settled the land in AD 900, quickly establishing a few major settlements. By AD 1150, it encompassed a large portion of the eastern continent, though religious and economic differences led to its fracturing in AD 1200, with Soitnam to the north and Slaitan to the south-west. Though the Cult of Quenyathar had always emphasised the place of practicality over blind faith, it was in Voltakra that hey gained their biggest footing, and where the Voltakran branch of the Cult founded the University of Thergas. Over the next three hundred years, the University, and in turn Voltakra, would become the destination of budding scientists and philosophers, and attracted the attentions of other nations - including the Duashe'era Hegemony, which began a campaign of conquest in the east in the hopes of become a significant continental power to rival Mopada or Morheka themselves, with most of the east coming under its control by AD 1200. Resistance to the First Voltakran Occupation, funded and supported by the newly-established states of the Trinity of Light, continued for another 45 years until it was brutally but effectively stamped out by the Duashe'era military occupation. As the Hegemony struggled to keep the occupied territories under their control, unintended border conflicts drew resources away to deal with Nartecan aggression, drawing them into a war that would last another eight hundred years, depriving occupation forces of manpower and resources - and finally allowing Voltakra to stage a full-fledged uprising, regaining its sovereignty in a conflict that lasted three months, repelling the Duashe'era military with Trinity and Morhekan support. Society Sangheili have never been known for their democratic nature, and its rise in the eastern side of the continent owes more to the breakdown of caste systems during the post-Second Exodus Dark Ages, as the pre-Morhekan state expanded, absorbing or displacing the native peoples. Migrating eastward to avoid occupation, a variety of tribes and clans were forced to work together to hold their society together. In such a time of severe social stress, the caste system simply shattered - the disruption of the land-working people simply could not support the entrenched aristocracy. People were forced to adapt or perish, and the subsequent society would be an unusual hybrid of the previous hierarchy and the budding ideas of the Kaaranese Enlightenment, with an aristocratic upper class forced to cooperate with a timocratic governing body. Even so, it would only be with the arrival of the Cult of Quenyathar to Voltakra that true democracy would begin to flourish - the sudden influx of western ideas would be coupled with the east's own long traditions of philosophical thought, producing strong anti-aristocratic movements. In some areas, the aristocrats tried to suppress the populations using Duashe'eran mercenaries, only to face popular revolt. In others, aristocrats were forced to cede increasing amounts of power until they remained in little more than a ceremonial role. Still more simply fled the country, taking with them their wealth so that they could start again in one of the more west-ward nations more tolerant of aristocratic tradition. The unique position Voltakra holds among Kaaranese nations is further cemented by its historical reputation. Very few nations have mad emuch of an effort to understand them culturally or diplomatically, seeing them as an oddball rogue state too far away to do any real damage. The philosophical engine that was the Quenyathar's universities, however, would generate the Kaaranese Industrial Revolution, over which the east would have an almost exclusive monopoly until such attitudes thawed in the west. This was one of the reasons why the Duashe'eran Hegemony invaded, hoping to seize control of the manufacturing centres of advanced weapons and armour to carve its own empire in the east to rival Morhekan Empire and Mopadan Confederacy in the west. This was always a futile gesture - instead of capturing a strategic resource, Duashe'eran forces succeeded only in driving the minds behind these advances north-west into neutral Trinity territory, introducing their ideas and concepts to be adopted by much of the west. The liberation of Voltakra would restore their sovereignty, and they would once again become a bastion of thought and design, now drawing the best minds across the continent to their universities and temples. Even the driving of the Cult of Quenyathar would do little to subjugate the ingenuity of Voltakra, and during the centuries of Covenant rule, Voltakra would be the only nation on the planet to continue scientific studies, both overtly and covertly - outwardly, Voltakran science was heralded as benefitting not just Kaaranese, but all Sangheili, allowing them some independence from the technology of the Prophets; internally, it was acknowledged that the day might come when the Prophets no longer held the Sangheili in the vaulted positions they occupied, and preparations were made accordingly. While the Morhekan Shipyards would produce more than one quarter of all post-war starships, it had been built before the Great Schism, and Voltakran engineers and scientists brought in to maintain it. Socially, Voltakra is often called a democracy, though it is more accurate to call it a timocracy. Not all inhabitants have the right to vote in local, regional or national elections - one must own their own land, restricting it to homeowners. Further restrictions limit eligible voters to males, though the Voltakran Legion has been very vocal about changing this law. The nation is ruled by two governing branches - the Council of Timocrats, elected by popular vote, and the Council of Technocrats, appointed representatives from the universities who serve as an Upper House, overseeing the impartiality of the Council of Elders but with little legislative power themselves. The head of the government is a Chancellor, elected for one five year term at a time, eligible for re-election only once. Some attempts have been made to establish political parties, though with no success - Voltakrans are mistrustful of partisan politicians with an allegiance to an ideological organisation, and prefer their "conservatives" and "liberals" to be independent, thereby negating the emergence of power blocs. Kaaranese Feminism has its roots in the east, with the first officially recognised all-female military units being formed during the Duashe'eran Occupation. To placate the traditionalist patriarchal order, these units were later made ceremonial, to the disgust of their members. Efforts by the Voltakran Legion, however, have seen the advancement of female causes, including entitlement to inherit and own property, initiate divorce procedings themselves, and enter the workforce in a limited capacity. Headway is being made in allowing female Sangheili the ability to vote, but it is slow going, relying on a few male sympathisers and with stiff resistance from traditionalists who see it as a threat to "traditional family values". Females are still legally barred for running for election at anything other than the local level. Compared to human society from the twentieth century onwards, Voltakran treatment of their women is oppressive and cruel. Compared to the rest of Sangheili society, it is the beginning of a Second Enlightenment. Many other nations across the continent have already adopted some of the improvements made by the Voltakrans, and a small minority are even ahead of them. Military Voltakra has never been a significant military nation, and even after the occupation by the Duashe'era Hegemony it relied heavily on its political, economic and diplomatic ties to other, more powerful nations. Today, the role of protector is held by the Trinity Nations to the north-west, who maintain a diplomatic embassy in the capital and a single garrison along the Voltakra-Duashe'era Border. In the event of further hostilities, the Trinity is bound by treaty to retaliate, and are in a far better position to attack Duashe'era than any other nation. At the moment, though, relations between the involved parties are relatively cool. The breakup of the Hegemony into smaller states, and their re-incorporation into Duashe'era, took a significant amount of resources, and left little in the way of a war chest. Nevertheless, what military Voltakra has is a point of pride, and the surviving units have gained some renown. The Torgu and Indara Legions were formed during the Occupation, and though are now members of the League Defence Force, had their origins in the defence of Voltakra, and each have a monument commemorating their victories and defeats during the resistance. The Voltakran Legion was also formed during the resistance, but was a self-organised militia group formed by the women left behind as the men went to war. Since their formation, the Voltakran Legion, also known as "Juno's Blades", is well known across the continent, serving as the ceremonial guard for Sanctum of Virtue and having missionary buildings in most nations, where they take in the destitute and impoverished. Many of their finest warriors are drawn from their ranks. The Detrasan Legion is the only military unit raised from Voltakra to be sent to fight for the Covenant, and though it served well during the war against the humans, they were wiped out by nuclear strikes on Sigma Octanus in 2552. The shame incurred by the betrayal of the Prophets led to the erection of a monument to all those who died "following the blasphemous orders of the Prophets," perhaps the closest thing to a Sangheili apology humanity is likely to get any time soon. Government Quotes *"A Voltakran and a Duashe'eran got into a fight. The Voltakran surrendered. So did the Duashe'eran. Its a joke! Get it? Huh?" *"They're too small to be a major player on the continent, and yet they have been. Certainly an admirable history of courage." *"The Voltakran Legion are like valkyries, swooping down ont he battlefields - except instead of being the followers, they're the CAUSE of death!" *"My sister joined the Legion some time ago, and has since become a Covenant Field Master. My Sanghelios compatriots believe that I am ashamed to be upstaged by a female - I couldn't be any more proud of little Juno!"